Powerful Wisconsin looks to deny upstart Boston in title game

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When it comes to the NCAA Division I women's hockey championship, it's like the sun.

The trophy has always set in the West, or the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

In the 11th Frozen Four title game today at 2 p.m. at the Tullio Arena, No. 1 Wisconsin (36-2-2), a three-time champion from the WCHA, faces third-seeded Boston University (27-6-4), the first-ever representative from Hockey East and a team that won its first two NCAA playoff games in the past week.

Wisconsin senior forward and U.S. Olympian Meghan Duggan, who was named the Kazmaier Award winner at a brunch on Saturday morning at the Bayfront Convention Center, recognized Hockey East as a growing plus for women's hockey.

"There are three teams here from the East -- Boston, Boston College and Cornell -- and it shows that women's hockey is spreading across the country,'' said Duggan, who happens to come from the Boston suburb of Danvers, Mass., and is an avid fan of Boston's pro sports teams.

Duggan helped the Badgers win their 15th straight game and extend their unbeaten streak to 26 games (24-0-2) by assisting on Brianna Decker's last-minute winning goal Friday night in a dramatic 3-2 victory over Boston College.

The Terriers, in only their sixth season of women's hockey, put on a dominant performance in their 4-1 semifinal win over Cornell, who was defeated by five-time NCAA champion Minnesota-Duluth in the 2010 title game.

"I had not seen them all year, but they're very good,'' Wisconsin coach Mark Johnson said. "I don't know if they played their best game Friday, but the idea is to peak at this time, and they look like they're doing that.''

Boston U. coach Brian Durocher and his club could be labeled as the villain since they eliminated host Mercyhurst College 4-2 last week in Boston.

While Durocher said with a laugh that he apologizes for keeping the Lakers out of the Frozen Four, he felt worse back in 1990 when he coached the Colgate men.

"The reason I felt worse then is that we eliminated my alma mater, which is Boston U.,'' said Durocher, a 1978 graduate.

Durocher was more thankful for the university and schools like Boston College and Northeastern providing more resources for women's hockey.

"We were able to climb a staircase thanks to the administration, and hopefully we're ready to stay at that level,'' Durocher said.

Durocher tried to recruit Duggan six years ago, but said that BU wasn't ready then.

"We didn't have the type of talent that could challenge Meghan every day in practice then,'' he said.

"I know I made the right decision when I came to Wisconsin,'' Duggan said.

The Terriers gradually made the progression to NCAA contenders.

"We worked hard as opposed to having talent, and as the years have gone by, talent has helped us rise, and here we sit preparing to play for a national championship,'' said senior center and captain Holly Lorms, who is from Brookfield, Wis.

Graduate student Catherine Ward, who is a defenseman, junior center Jenn Wakefield and freshman center Marie-Philip Poulin, who scored both goals in Canada's 2-0 win over the United States in the 2010 gold medal game at Vancouver, cited the Hockey East competition as impetus for an NCAA title run.

"We played against great competition in the Hockey East, and that made us work harder,'' said Ward. "I think Hockey East is really growing, and we hope to show that and win a championship.''

Besides Duggan, the Badgers boast U.S. Olympian center Hilary Knight, who had two assists in the win over Boston College.

Freshman goaltender Alex Rigsby has the task of filling the skates of Jesse Vetter, the 2009 Kazmaier winner who shut out Mercyhurst 5-0 in the championship game that season.

"The last three games (all one-goal victories) have been nerve-racking, so it's great for us to be here,'' Rigsby said. "The players who have experienced this before have helped me a lot to be calm. I do have to thank them for scoring with 48 seconds to go, because overtime would be really scary.''

Johnson, who credited trainer Dennis Helwig as the team MVP for getting players back on the ice after injuries, said expectations are always high at Wisconsin.

"But that doesn't change what we do,'' Johnson said. "During the course of the winter, we try to become a better hockey team. We hope to play the best game of the year (today).''

Durocher, who said his six defensemen are the key to stopping Wisconsin's offense -- the Terriers held Cornell to 15 shots -- realizes that Boston can make a statement for women's hockey in the East.

"First off, I'm going to church twice before tomorrow,'' Durocher said. "But some of these girls played with the pioneers of our program, and with the talent we have now, I think we have a chance to win a hockey game against a great program.''

BOB JARZOMSKI can be reached at 870-1678 or by e-mail.

Online Extras

MORE COVERAGE: To read more about the NCAA Frozen Four women's hockey championship, click here.

MORE ON THE BLOG: To read more about high school, college, OHL and NHL hockey on the Shootout blog, click here.